Phoenix Coyotes' Don Maloney facing a familiar challenge

GM may still have to cobble together a competitive team under rigid financial constraints

by Jim Gintonio - May. 11, 2011 05:14 PMThe Arizona Republic

With the Coyotes guaranteed at least another year in the Valley after the vote by the Glendale City Council, General Manager Don Maloney faces the familiar challenge - if ownership is not settled - of cobbling together a competitive team under rigid financial constraints.

That is a better situation than the team leaving, of course, but it also could foreshadow a disheartening season. The Coyotes ranked 22nd in payroll in 2010-11 at around $51 million (according to capgeek.com) and that figure probably will not be much higher this season - a bleak situation for a team desperate to attract free agents and keep many of its own, all the while trying to build its fan base.

Last season, the Coyotes ranked 29th in the league in home attendance, averaging 12,208; only the New York Islanders drew fewer fans.

"There will be challenges here in building our fan base to the level we need it to be economically successful," Maloney said. "By the City Council buying us, at minimum, another year, we can show people that we're a good developing team, a team that can have success on the ice and success bringing fans in the building.

"I don't think there's anybody sitting here saying, 'We're going to sell 17,000 season tickets in the next week.' We believe in the product and believe if we can put a good team on the ice, we'll get the support we need to be successful."

Budget meeting

"I think the last two years have proven we have a competitive, team," he said. "Don and Tip (coach Dave Tippett) can deliver that. Some of the things we're doing on the business side, pushing it in a positive direction. I'd say maybe it's not ideal, but I don't think it's a major hurdle."

Maloney will talk with league officials Thursday and said a budget could be in place in a week to 10 days. He has worked under similar budget crunches the previous two seasons, and the Coyotes recorded their best records in franchise history with back-to-back playoff appearances.

"It's interesting, (people) look at the situation as being such a unique burden to me and putting a team (together), but really isn't any different than most of the other clubs," he said. "Sit down with your ownership, just happens to be the ownership right now is the National Hockey League.

"You work out a budget with what we have available, and then you put the best team on the ice that you can with the budget you're given, so it's really no different than anybody else, other than the fact that we know we're not going to be at the top of the capping scale, but certainly last year we weren't at the very bottom anyway."

The salary cap this season is projected to be around $62.2 million.

Tough decisions

The NHL free-agency period begins July 1, and the Coyotes will have to make a major decision on how much to offer goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov, who is an unrestricted free agent able to sign with any team. His agent and Maloney will meet Friday. The in-house option is Jason LaBarbera, who also is unrestricted.

"I think the process is identifying priorities, who's the most important and the second-most important and on down the line and then going out and executing your plan," Maloney said. "Certainly, Ilya Bryzgalov is very important to us.

"We'd like to sign him to a contract that makes sense to him and sense to us, but he may want more than what we're prepared to pay. If that's the case, then we'll have to deal with it if it comes down to it."

Maloney, rhetorically asking and answering whether he would like $60 million to spend, said a team does not have to be at that lofty number to be a factor.

"You can certainly put on a terrific team that can be very competitive in the West and a playoff team and start winning some rounds with a lot less than $60 million. . . . You have to spend X amount of dollars, and the key is spending it wisely.

"We weren't happy with the end of our season. We know we have to be better - the teams in the West aren't getting weaker, and neither are we. Players are emerging. I like what we have coming, I like the development of our players, so we'll do the best job with what we have available."